Socceroos and Dutch are both winners after World Cup classic

Jonathan Liew

PORTO ALEGRE: Give them the World Cup. Give it to both of them. There can be no more appropriate way of rewarding Australia and Holland for entertaining us so exquisitely, after a game that resembled a large city in its inescapable sense that something, somewhere, was always happening. It was a ball, a brawl, a banquet, a blast: more than that, though, it was a brilliant way to spend 90 minutes.

Holland edged out Australia, but that merely hinted at the scale of the spectacle. We saw the best goal of the tournament, the worst penalty decision, terrific touches, abject misjudgements. Memphis Depay's strike was a worthy winner of any game; Mat Ryan's unfortunate fumble cruel on a team who did not deserve to lose it.

The Dutch have all but qualified for the last 16, but Australia opened up fissures in their team that Spain did not. The Dutch dam, it seems, is not impregnable. Australia are out thanks to Spain's defeat to Chile, but they can be fiercely proud of the memories they created. When Tim Cahill is 85, television crews will still be turning up outside his house to interview him about that goal.

Arjen Robben put Holland ahead after a lethal dash from the halfway line in the 20th minute. In any other game, it would have been the highlight. Here, it was merely the prologue. Before the stadium PA even had time to announce it, while television were still showing a man in a kangaroo hat cursing in slow motion, came a moment that sport-loving Australians - and really, there is no other kind - will never forget.

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Here is what happened: Matt Leckie won the ball in midfield, nudging it into the path of right-back Ryan McGowan, who crossed first time. As the ball sailed over, the Dutch defence did not look overly alarmed. But Cahill was peeling away, watching the flight, planning his next move.

With his weaker left foot fully extended and beautifully straight, Cahill smashed the ball on the volley, sending it cannoning off the bar, bouncing off the goal-line and into the roof of the net for added dramatic effect. The immediate reaction was not bliss, but bewilderment. By the time Cahill reached the corner flag, punching it to the ground, the stadium had erupted in the shared experience of a deeply special moment.

World Cup 2014: Australia v the Netherlands highlights

When something like that happens, it lifts everyone. Every so often, the black and white of everyday existence is splashed with the colour of the unthinkable. If Tim Cahill can score a goal like that, imagine what the rest of us could do with our lives? We could see the world, learn languages, become the people we always dreamed of being. You could see it in the Australians, too. If Tim can do that, what can the rest of us do?

And so over the next few minutes, the stunned Dutch watched as Australia laid siege. Mark Bresciano blazed a glorious chance over the bar. Matthew Spiranovic headed over. The second half saw Louis van Gaal switch from five at the back to four after a head injury to Bruno Martins Indi.

Van Gaal's switch put greater pressure on their fullbacks, and when Oliver Bozanic charged down the left wing and crossed on 52 minutes, Daryl Janmaat was penalised for possessing a hand, which was at his side when it was hit by the ball. All of a sudden Australia had a penalty. Mile Jedinak buried it, turning the match and received footballing wisdom on its head.

The entree: Arjen Robben's opening goal for the Dutch. Photo: AFP

Australia's lead lasted four minutes. Depay, on for Martins Indi, played a super reverse ball through to Robin van Persie, Jason Davidson carelessly playing him offside. Van Persie was eight yards out with the goal gaping. He does not miss those.

Still the Australians came. Matt McKay opted to cross when in clear sight of goal, and in hindsight that was probably the turning point. Holland went straight up the other end, Depay fired a low swerving shot from 25 yards, and Ryan could only palm the ball into his own net.

So there we were. One of the great World Cup group games. And as if to cement it for posterity, two of its main protagonists will miss the next game. Van Persie was lucky to stay on the pitch after a crunching challenge on Jedinak, having already seen yellow for a raised arm on Spiranovic.

Meanwhile, Cahill exhibited his cynical side by felling Martins Indi with a shoulder charge, putting him in hospital with suspected concussion. Cahill's yellow card ruled him out of the next match, but in truth he should probably consider retiring after this one.

The Telegraph, London

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37 comments

Entirely predictable. It's a minor sport here with a second or possibly third tier league by world standards. It's very difficult to get a team that will be able to compete with countries where soccer is the major sport. Still, so long as they foot the bill themselves, good on the soccer people for having a go.

Commenter

Patrickb

Location

Date and time

June 19, 2014, 11:34AM

yes, and i am sure you watched the match......hardly minor, it has one of the highest participation rates in the land. stick to your silly afl or rugby, sports which barely any other countries play.

Commenter

icym

Location

Date and time

June 19, 2014, 12:41PM

Give Australia a chance. We will get there eventually with perseverance, like all other sport. Australia ranks up fairly high in the world with most sport, something all Australians should be proud of, seeing our population is one of the lowest.

Commenter

J.G.

Location

Date and time

June 19, 2014, 12:52PM

Did you submit that comment before the game? If not, it is rather difficult to interpret what you are on about. Entirely predictable that a footballing minnow lead and was unlucky to lose to a world powerhouse? Difficult to get a team able to compete... like they just did? So long as they foot the bill themselves? What does that even mean?

Commenter

Duke

Location

Date and time

June 19, 2014, 1:02PM

A trifle small minded? Why play international sport at all? Perhaps if more focus was put on the game of football instead of minor sports such as RL, RU and particularly AFL then we would do better. We certainly don't lack the ability to produce quality players. I thought Australia were magnificent against Chile and Holland almost beating 2 top rated teams.If they hadn't given Chile so much respect they more than likely would have won that game and still be in the competition.

Commenter

JP

Location

Sydney

Date and time

June 19, 2014, 1:07PM

What a sad and cynical comment.

Commenter

jj357

Location

Date and time

June 19, 2014, 1:14PM

Better than playing a 2nd or 3rd tier sport with some former British colonies and calling yourselves "World Champions".

Commenter

Larry

Location

Date and time

June 19, 2014, 1:18PM

That 'third tier league' provided seven of the eleven players in our starting team against the Dutch. You know, our team that was winning 2-1 for a while.

Against last world cups' runners-up. Who just smashed Spain.

Seven of the eleven.

Commenter

Joel

Location

Sydney

Date and time

June 19, 2014, 1:19PM

Dont' know if you noticed but this article is actually from the Telegraph in London.

Football is by far the biggest sport over there and this is a report on a match between 2 teams, neither who are England so the credit in this article given to the Aussies comes from nowhere but respect for the way they played.

Whether or not it is big sport here now is irrelevant. It is already the 2nd biggest sport by attendance in the A-league and the largest by participation. AFL are sitting pretty however League and Union must be pretty worried.

Commenter

Sambo

Location

Date and time

June 19, 2014, 1:22PM

Minor sport? None of our (terrible) provincial sports get the whole nation behind them like our national football team does. Every code is crapping themselves about the continual rise of the A-League. Start enjoying it before your favourite AFL/League team goes broke.